Life Reversal ~ I Was Cheated On and Falsely Accused, but Now the Most Beautiful Girl in the School Is Getting Close to Me ~ Volume 1 Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Progress on the Bullying Issue
──September 6th──
Having learned my lesson from yesterday, I woke up a little earlier to get ready. I didn’t want to keep Ichijou-san waiting, after all.
“Oh, you’re early,” Mom said with her usual smile as I entered the kitchen. My brother offered a silent smile of his own. They were both trying to act normal so I wouldn’t worry. “Is Ai-chan coming to get you today, too?”
“Yeah.”
“I see. Well then, make sure you really invite her for fried oysters tonight.”
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to tell her.”
It seemed Mom’s fondness for Ichijou-san was already off the charts. Of course, it was. She was the one who had so openly supported me when I was at my lowest.
I stepped outside and found her already waiting, an angelic smile gracing her face.
“Good morning, Senpai!”
For a second, I could almost see a pair of fluffy white wings sprouting from her back.
“Morning, Ichijou-san.”
We fell into a comfortable pace, a walk that was quickly becoming our daily routine.
“Oh, right, Senpai! I actually have something for you,” she said, rustling around inside her school bag.
“Hm? It’s not my birthday, you know.” I feigned ignorance, though I was genuinely surprised.
“It’s not that kind of thing,” she laughed.
“Then, what is it?”
“A thank you for keeping me company at the café yesterday. Here!”
She handed me a slightly thick envelope. It felt like it contained a notebook or something similar.
“Can I open it?”
“Yes. It’s not something tasteless like money, I promise,” she said with a shy little laugh.
I opened it and found a manuscript filled with a familiar script. A novel. A story I remembered well. I hurriedly checked the title.
It was the original manuscript of my novel—the one that was supposed to have been thrown away by the literary club.
“Why do you have this?”
“I worked hard to rescue it yesterday,” she said, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
“How did you… Ichijou-san…” I reflexively clutched the envelope.
“I just pulled a few strings, that’s all.”
“Pulled a few strings… but I never told you I was in the literary club, did I?”
How does she know?“Oh, when I visited your house the other day, I saw a lot of novels and a copy of the literary club’s magazine in the break room.”
“You couldn’t have figured it out from just that, could you?” The clues were far too weak. It was entirely possible I was just a bookworm who happened to pick up the club’s magazine.
“That’s true,” she admitted. “If this were a detective novel, that wouldn’t be enough to identify the culprit. But we live in real life, so I got some confirmation. There’s a girl in my class, Hayashi-san, who’s in the literary club. I figured I’d find out everything if I just asked her.”
I’d barely ever spoken to Hayashi. She was a quiet girl with glasses and pigtails who fit the literary club image perfectly. I think I might have helped her with something right before summer break.
“Then she must have looked down on me… Hayashi-san, I mean.” After a rumor like that, I was sure all the girls saw me with disgust. Ichijou-san was simply an exception, a perfect human being.
“You’re right. She said she’d heard the upperclassmen gossiping,” Ichijou-san confirmed.
“I knew it. So…”
“But she couldn’t bring herself to believe it completely. She told me that before summer break, you kindly taught her how to use Word. She remembered that and said she just couldn’t believe someone as kind as you would do something like that.”
“…”
It was true. She had been struggling with computers, so I’d shown her a few things—how to add ruby characters, how to register words. It was nothing special, just the basics.
“After talking with her, I found out what was really going on. The literary club members were harassing you too, weren’t they, Senpai?”
“…Yeah.”
“The club president was apparently throwing away your personal belongings that were left in the clubroom without permission. So, I asked Hayashi-san for help. I asked if she could protect even a few of your things…”
“…”
This girl, really…“Hayashi-san is timid, so she couldn’t cooperate openly, but she did what she could. With tears in her eyes, she promised she would. She gathered as many of your manuscripts as possible, and… well, this was all I could recover.”
“You snuck into the clubroom?”
“Yes. After we had tea at the café, I went back to school right before closing time.”
This girl really does the most reckless things.“How did you even get in? Wasn’t it locked?”
“I told a little lie. I said Hayashi-san had asked me to grab something she’d forgotten.”
Seeing the slightly pained look on her face, I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Why would you go that far for me?”
“Because I hate it,” she said, her expression tinged with guilt as she looked up at me. “Seeing the fruit of someone’s labor—someone I care about—be ruined by the malice of others.”
“Thank you… for going through all that trouble.”
Come to think of it, this particular manuscript had a bad reputation in the club, so maybe they’d forgotten to throw it away. The memories of that day came flooding back—the club president, someone I’d once been close to, tearing this very manuscript to shreds in front of me.
“It was very interesting,” Ichijou-san said, her voice growing a little stronger.
“Don’t tell me you read it?”
Her expressions were all over the place today. She bowed her head with a troubled look. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist. I got completely absorbed in it last night, which is why I’m a little sleep-deprived.”
Now that she mentioned it, I could see faint dark circles under her eyes.
“How was it?” I found myself asking, eager for her opinion. My confidence had been shattered, so a part of me was desperate for validation.
“It was amazing! Truly interesting. Senpai, you have real talent!”
As I gazed at her radiant, smiling face, I felt as if something I had lost was finally returning to my grasp.
“Thanks. Hearing you say that gives me a little confidence.”
We started walking again, side by side, one step at a time.
── Takayanagi’s Perspective──
I accompanied the principal to Kitchen Aono.
We were originally scheduled to visit during lunch, but Aono’s mother requested to speak with us right away, so our meeting was set for 9:30, before the restaurant opened.
I had left Aono in Mitsui-sensei’s care. His supplementary lessons were also starting today. Thanks to the groundwork laid by the principal and vice-principal, he would likely only be a day behind in his classes. We were still discussing how to handle his PE and arts credits, but we were finalizing a plan for him to make them up with extra lessons or reports on days off or after school.
This time, Aono himself was not present; it was a discussion between his parent and us, the teachers.
“So this is Aono-kun’s home,” the principal murmured, clutching a paper bag. It contained a bundle of documents we had compiled, summarizing the current situation and outlining our future course of action.
“Yes.”
“Takayanagi-sensei,” the principal said, turning to me. “I will take final responsibility. That is my duty as head of this school. So, please, just convey the facts clearly and focus on supporting Aono-kun and his family. Though, honestly, I’m not worried. You do that without even being told.”
“You give me too much credit, sir. My hands are shaking and my heart is pounding.” In a situation like this, how could I not be nervous? If I could run away, I would.
“That’s only natural. I feel the same. However, for better or worse, we teachers are a significant presence in a student’s life—enough to influence their entire future.”
“You’re right.”
And that’s precisely why I couldn’t run.
“I’m sure his parents will understand, Takayanagi-sensei. Well then, shall we go?”
──Mother’s Perspective──
“We are truly sorry for what has happened.”
The moment they stepped into the entryway, the principal and the homeroom teacher, Takayanagi-sensei, bowed their heads in apology. I had half-expected a perfunctory apology and a vague explanation of their countermeasures, but this…
Their sincere attitude was a relief. Just as Minami-sensei had said, it seemed the principal and the others were truly dedicated educators.
My older son dotes on Eiji and would likely be unable to remain calm, so I had asked him to continue with the morning prep.“Please, raise your heads. When did you become aware of this trouble?”
The thin homeroom teacher answered. “During homeroom on September 4th. I was away from school until the 3rd for a tournament with the shogi club I advise. In my absence, the assistant homeroom teacher, Ayase-sensei, was in charge. When I heard Eiji-kun was feeling unwell and had gone to the nurse’s office, I noticed the graffiti on his desk. The vice-principal then informed the principal, and we immediately began discussing how to respond.”
“You noticed that quickly?” I said, honestly surprised. “So you spotted the signs of bullying as soon as you returned, even though the assistant teacher who was there in your place overlooked it…” It was a testament to his dedication.
“Yes. There was a certain tension in the class after my long absence. I felt something was off. However—and I know this may sound like an excuse—Ayase-sensei is a new graduate who just became a teacher this year. I believe her lack of experience prevented her from noticing the initial signs. She feels a great deal of responsibility for what happened…”
“I see. Let’s set aside the matter of the assistant teacher for now. That’s not what I want to know. How did you get in contact with Eiji that day?”
“I was unable to see Eiji-kun at all. He slipped out of the nurse’s office and didn’t return to the classroom. The vice-principal and the school nurse, Mitsui-sensei, helped search for him. We received a witness report that he had left the school grounds, so Mitsui-sensei called you.”
“I see…” It was true, I did receive a call from the school nurse.
“That day, I had Imai-kun get in touch with Eiji-kun, and I heard the details yesterday. This is a summary of what we know so far.”
“Thank you. I’ll read it.”
The report detailed how Eiji was caught in a romantic dispute and how malicious rumors were being spread as a result. The names were omitted, but it stated that they had confirmed the facts with Miyuki-chan and her new partner. It also mentioned they were investigating two classmates who seemed to be leading the harassment. Finally, it stated they would provide as much support as possible for Eiji’s studies, with supplementary lessons beginning today.
“Sensei, are you serious about this last part?”
The report concluded with: “Regarding the various acts confirmed at present, we have identified criminal acts such as destruction of property, defamation, theft, and blackmail. We are considering consulting the police and imposing severe punishments on the students involved, including expulsion or suspension.” I’d always heard that schools were reluctant to involve the police in bullying issues…
Takayanagi-sensei answered immediately. “Yes. As a school, we cannot condone these actions. Of course, the decision to report the defamation and blackmail to the police rests with you and Eiji-kun. In fact, it seems the bullies also hinted at harassing this restaurant. However, regarding the graffiti on his desk and shoe locker, the school has suffered damage to its property, so we have already consulted with the police.”
“But don’t you want to avoid involving the police in a school problem?” I found myself asking.
Just as Takayanagi-sensei was about to answer, the principal spoke up.
“Three hundred fifty-four. That’s the number of high school students who took their own lives in 2022. Of course, that number includes students who died for reasons beyond bullying, such as health problems or family issues, but…”
The stark number felt like a knife plunging into my back.
“If you include suicide attempts, the number of lives ruined by bullying is likely much higher. This number is merely the tip of the iceberg. And now, an incident like this has occurred at our school.” The principal’s voice was firm. “When a situation could develop into a matter of life and death, our top priority must be the victim, Eiji-kun. We adults must act for the sake of his future. That is my belief. Compared to that, the school’s reputation is a minor problem. Furthermore, if we consider the future of the perpetrators, covering this up will only harm their character development. Providing an opportunity to properly atone for their mistakes is also a part of education.”
The old gentleman looked me straight in the eye. “To protect Eiji-kun, we need you to lend us your strength.”
──After School──
I ended up walking home with Ichijou-san again today.
“Senpai! How were the supplementary lessons?”
As expected, it was decided that I should prioritize catching up on the curriculum over the school-wide mock exams, so I was receiving one-on-one makeup lessons from the teachers.
“Yeah, they were pretty easy to understand.” In fact, being one-on-one, the teachers were incredibly kind and thorough.
The principal himself taught me English.
“Aono-kun,” he’d said, his large frame swaying as he spoke with a gentle, embracing tone. “You’ve had a truly painful experience at our school. I am very sorry. If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to tell Takayanagi-sensei, Mitsui-sensei, or myself. Students have a duty to depend on their teachers, you know.”
In about twenty minutes, he had clearly explained important points about grammar, vocabulary, and phrases from the textbook unit.
“Alright, let’s spend the rest of the time strengthening your listening and speaking skills,” he’d said with a laugh, using his computer to teach me real-life English with a foreign comedy drama. Compared to the textbook audio, the dialogue in the show was incredibly fast and full of slang.
The principal paused the video at key moments to explain.
“Here, these two words combine to sound like one. That’s how natives pronounce it.”
“This expression, ‘wanna,’ doesn’t often appear in Japanese high school English, but it’s common in conversational American English. Apparently, some British people think it sounds like American slang. It means the same thing as ‘want to.’ Aono-kun, have you ever seen the movie Armageddon? The one about stopping a meteorite? This expression is used in the lyrics of the theme song.”
The principal’s explanations were fascinating and easy to understand. He might have been a former rugby player, but his hobby was watching movies, and he apparently owned several hundred foreign film DVDs and Blu-rays. The drama he’d chosen was one of his top recommendations—a rom-com about unpopular genius science geeks. I could tell he’d picked it to cheer me up, a consideration for which I was very grateful.
※
“The principal’s classes are that casual? That sounds fun! I really think you’re blessed with the people around you, Senpai.”
That’s for sure, I thought. I mean, right in front of me is a girl who became my greatest supporter just minutes after we met.“So, Senpai… I’m sorry if this is overstepping, but there’s someone I want you to meet.”
Ichijou-san glanced toward the school gate. Standing there was Hayashi-san, a junior from the literary club, her face streaked with tears.
She approached me with her head down, her expression anxious.
“Hayashi-san,” Ichijou-san prompted gently. “There’s something you want to say, right?”
At Ichijou-san’s words, she nodded. This was the girl who had helped recover my manuscript. I consciously relaxed the tense expression on my face.
Seeing my softened demeanor, she began to speak in a choked voice. “I’m sorry, Aono-senpai!”
She bowed her head with such force I worried she might hit the ground, and continued speaking from that position. “Even though you were so kind to me… I was scared… I went along with everyone else… and I couldn’t believe in you. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect your precious manuscript like Ichijou-san did. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you when I should have been.”
Tears were spilling from her eyes, bursting like fleeting raindrops on the asphalt. “I’m the worst… Even though I knew you would never do what the rumors said, I was too scared of being cast out by my friends to do the right thing.”
It was painful to watch her tremble like that.
She hadn’t attacked me directly like the club president and the others had. When I’d checked my LINE account this morning, she was the only member of the literary club who hadn’t blocked me. She wasn’t the one who needed to apologize. The people who had hurt me directly were the ones I wanted to hear from, though I had no intention of forgiving them easily. But I wanted to at least hear the words.
“Lift your head, Hayashi-san. You didn’t do anything to me. Besides, you helped Ichijou-san out, right?”
“But…”
In the end, this is how it always is. Sincere people are the ones who suffer the most, while the irresponsible and cruel live on without a care. She was one of the sincere ones. Even if I forgave her, she probably wouldn’t be able to forgive herself. She’d likely carry this burden forever, even though she was just dragged into it.
“You apologized. That alone makes me truly happy. Besides my friend Imai, my parents, and my teachers, you were the first person to believe in me, Hayashi-san. There are so many others who should be apologizing before you… Just knowing that is a relief. So please, forgive yourself.”
At those words, she broke down completely. Ichijou-san rushed to support her, holding her close. This school idol was truly kind.
“It’s okay. Your sincerity got through to Senpai, I promise. I’m his best friend, so I know it’s true,” Ichijou-san said, gently patting her head and embracing her crying classmate. She looked like a holy mother, the gesture so beautiful it was almost breathtaking.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Hayashi-san continued to apologize between sobs.
※
After Hayashi-san finally stopped crying, we parted ways, and Ichijou-san and I started our walk home. After three days, people were no longer giving us strange looks. It’s scary how quickly you can get used to things.
“It seems Hayashi-san is quitting the literary club,” Ichijou-san said.
“I see...” I felt a sense of relief. It felt dangerous to leave her in that club.
“Thanks for everything,” I said. “Why are you so kind to me?” She had truly done so much for me.
“That goes for you too, Senpai. On the rooftop that day, you saved a junior you didn’t even know. You got soaked to the bone and put your life on the line. You were ready to throw your own life away. If you tried to stop a rampaging person in a place like that, you could have fallen yourself.”
“No, that was just instinct.”
“Even so. Not many people can do something like that on instinct. I was desperate back then, but now I’m truly glad to be alive. It’s all thanks to you.”
“Still… you even went as far as to mediate between Hayashi-san and me.” Honestly, she’d given me so much that I felt I’d have to spend my whole life paying it back.
“I’m sure you lost a lot in this incident, Senpai. It’s not my place to say this, but… you haven’t lost everything. There are people who believe in you, like Hayashi-san. I wanted you to know that.”
She smiled bashfully. Illuminated by the setting sun, her wistful expression was so beautiful I couldn’t look at her directly.
“But the best thing that came out of this whole incident was meeting you, Ichijou-san.”
At my words, her face turned a little red, and she murmured with downcast eyes, “That was a cheap shot, you dummy, Senpai!”
“You don’t like it?”
“…It’s not that I dislike it.”
Just watching my junior get embarrassed and try to hide it filled me with a quiet happiness.
※
We walked home, making small talk. We’d only just met, so even as best friends, there was so much we didn’t know about each other. The conversation flowed endlessly.
I had to make sure she came over for fried oysters tonight.
“Come to think of it, why do you like fried oysters so much, Ichijou-san?” I found myself asking.
“Oh, it was my late mother’s specialty. She often made them for my birthday. It’s a taste I can’t forget.”
This was the first I’d heard about her mother passing away. A pang of regret hit me. “Sorry. Was that insensitive?”
She shook her head with a smile. “Not at all. You told me about your father, Senpai. I figured I had to tell you at some point, too.”
Come to think of it, I had told her about my dad when we had lunch in the break room.
“Well, they might not compare to your mother’s, but I hope you enjoy ours.”
Actually, fried oysters were one of my dad’s specialties, too. Simply frying delicious oysters and serving them with our special tartar sauce was an autumn and winter tradition at Kitchen Aono.
“Our tartar sauce has pickled shibazuke as a secret ingredient. It adds a bit of sourness and makes it really refreshing. It’s my late dad’s recipe, so I hope you look forward to it.”
[Note: Shibazuke (しば漬け) is a traditional Japanese pickle, most famously associated with Kyoto. It’s made by pickling cucumber, eggplant, and shiso leaves (red perilla) together.]“I’m excited! My mom used to make tartar sauce with sautéed onions. It was so delicious… it brings back memories.”
As the son of a restaurant owner, I knew how much work it was to sauté onions just for a sauce. The fact that her mother went to all that trouble showed how much she loved her daughter.
Ichijou-san is thin, but she’s quite a big eater.
She’d polished off her lunch in no time. It would be rude to point it out, though, so I kept quiet.
As we were lost in such trivial conversation, a car pulled up beside us. An old man with white hair got out.
It was someone I knew. My dad’s best friend and the former mayor of our city… Minami-ojisan.
“Eiji-kun! It’s been a while,” he said with a warm smile. “Did I interrupt a date, perhaps? I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”
Ichijou-san stared at him, puzzled for a moment, before recognition dawned on her face. “Senpai, why is the former mayor talking to us so casually!?” she whispered.
“Ah, Minami-ojisan is a friend of my late dad’s. He still dotes on us like we’re his own grandchildren.”
My unexpected explanation made her eyes widen in surprise. “Is that… so…” she managed, a strained smile on her face.
Minami-ojisan had been a staunch supporter of my dad’s volunteer activities since his time as mayor. He was an absolute benefactor, granting us priority use of municipal parks for things like soup kitchens for the less fortunate. He later developed my dad’s activities further, creating an ordinance to foster public-private partnerships providing subsidies for children’s cafeterias. Our city has a reputation as an easy place to raise children, even within the Tokyo metropolitan area, and it’s said that the continued population growth is due to Minami-ojisan’s achievements as mayor.
After serving three terms, he retired from politics and now follows in my dad’s footsteps, having launched his own volunteer organization. He was a cheerful, virtuous man who worked on the front lines to combat child poverty and support the independence of the less fortunate. He was so full of life, you’d never guess he was over seventy. Even after my dad passed away, he still looks out for Kitchen Aono and drops by often.
“I was just on my way to your place, Eiji-kun. If you’d like, I can give you a ride. By the way, young lady… could you be…?”
She introduced herself, a little nervously. “I’m Ichijou Ai. It’s been a while, Mayor Minami.”
“Please, drop the ‘Mayor.’ I’m retired now,” he said warmly. “Ichijou-san, is it? I thought so. You’ve become so beautiful, I hardly recognized you. I see. So Mamoru-kun’s son, Eiji-kun, is walking with you. This must be some kind of fate.”
It seemed Ichijou-san’s parents were influential people after all. I deliberately didn’t press for details and just listened.
“Mayor Minami,” she said, her tone firm. “Right now, I have no connection to my father.”
Hearing those words, the old man looked surprised, but then smiled as if he understood and nodded. “I see. For now, please get in the car. There’s something I’ve been wanting to apologize to Eiji-kun about for a long time.”
With that, he invited us into his car.
※
We drove to a nearby park.
“I’d like to talk about your father,” Minami-ojisan said. “Would it be better if Ichijou-san stepped away for a bit?”
I shook my head. “It’s fine. I have nothing to hide about my father.”
The old man smiled gently. “You’re just like him in that respect. The spitting image.”
Ever since I was little, adults would tell me, “You should become a fine man like your father.” There were times I felt pressured by it, but after he passed away, the more I came to understand, the prouder I became. I want to be as close to my father as I can, though I doubt I’ll ever surpass a saint like him.
Sitting on a park bench, the former mayor began to speak softly. “It’s been so many years since Mamoru-kun passed away. Time moves unbelievably fast. You’ve grown up so much, Eiji-kun.”
The kind old man smiled sadly. At my father’s funeral, he had grieved more than any of our relatives. He had been a colleague of my father’s volunteer work; they became friends through my father’s work running a children’s cafeteria and soup kitchen. Later, Minami-ojisan entered politics to support my father’s activities from a government standpoint.
“You’ve become a fine high school student, Eiji-kun. That’s why I wanted to talk to you properly. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be around, after all,” he said, his eyes glistening. “I am truly sorry. I feel that I stole your father away from you.”
The old man bowed his head. I seem to be getting a lot of apologies today.
“Ojisan, please raise your head.”
“Thank you. You really are a kind boy. But I must apologize. Your father was my ideal. A fine man full of responsibility and kindness. And I took advantage of that. Between his work at Kitchen Aono and his volunteering, I made him carry a burden that was far too heavy. Knowing how responsible he was, I should have known he would push himself too hard.”
With that, he looked up at the sky. I understood what he wanted to say. His regret was perfectly understandable. I think the old man’s clock stopped the day my father died.
“Even so, it was my father who chose that path,” I said, deliberately using the formal word ‘chichi’ for father.
“It was I who made him choose,” he countered. That was the source of his regret. He believed he had pushed his ideals onto my father, forced him to overwork himself, and caused his collapse.
But that couldn’t be true. Because my father was…
“My father was smiling with satisfaction. His face in death looked truly content. No matter who it is—even you, ojisan—I don’t want anyone to deny my father’s will.”
My father lived for his ideals. So, no one needed to have any regrets.
“…I see.”
“You have inherited my father’s ideals well, ojisan. He always used to say, ‘If someone carries on my work, it’s as if I’m living on forever.’ If you, who should be carrying on his legacy, are filled with regret, I’m sure he’d be angry. He really would.”
The old man smiled, his eyes still glistening. “You’ve really become a fine young man. I always thought of you as a grandson, but today, you’ve been the one teaching me, Eiji-kun.” He looked at me gently. “That’s why I cannot forgive those who tried to harm you. It may be meddling, and you’re trying to become a fine adult, after all. But you are still a high school student who should be protected by adults. For your father’s sake, I will fulfill my responsibility. I will protect you, no matter what.”
Remembering my father’s smile, I was moved by the old man’s feelings. I am protected by everyone.
And then, we laughed together.
※
Minami-ojisan said he had something to discuss with my mom, so Ichijou-san and I killed time by going for a walk. By the time we got back, my brother would probably have the special fried oysters ready.
“Well, the week is finally over,” I said.
“Yeah. Thanks to you, I somehow managed to get through it.” A turbulent week had come to an end.
Tomorrow was Sunday. Takayanagi-sensei had told me, “You’ll need a day’s worth of supplementary lessons at some point, but you should probably take it easy this Sunday. Exhaustion hits you all at once when the tension breaks.” I decided to take him up on his offer.
It was a little disappointing that I wouldn’t be able to see Ichijou-san, though.
“Hey, Senpai? Can I ask for just one selfish thing?”
“Of course.” Never mind one, I’d grant her as many as she wanted, I thought, answering immediately.
“How reliable. Well then…” she smiled, her head tilted slightly down. Then, she stopped in front of me, the setting sun at her back, and looked at me intently.
“Tomorrow, will you go on a date with me? A proper one, this time.”
※
I instinctively held my breath. Any boy at our school would kill for a weekend invitation from Ichijou Ai. It was a premium ticket. Was it really okay for someone like me to have it?
For a moment, I hesitated. But being with her had already started to feel normal. The thought of seeing her on Sunday made me happy. Having already gone on one “date” with her, this second invitation filled me with anticipation.
“Are you sure you want it to be me?”
“I want it to be you. I asked because it’s you.”
A weekend date—a much higher hurdle in a relationship than just stopping by somewhere after school. I’d been on plenty with Miyuki, of course. It wasn’t my first time, yet I felt an elation that caught me by surprise.
“Thank you. I’d love to,” I managed to say with a smile.
She let out a sigh of relief, then retorted with a slightly resentful look. “You’re so mean, Senpai. I was pretty sure you’d say yes, but you paused for so long I got anxious.”
“Sorry. I just never thought I’d be able to go on a weekend date with the Ichijou Ai.”
“See, that’s what I’m talking about! You dummy!”
Watching her get embarrassed was just too much fun.
“So, where are we going?”
“I want to go shopping in front of the station. Also, there’s a movie I want to see. Would you like to go together?”
“A movie, huh? Sounds good. I like them, too.” In fact, I’d been told that studying various stories helps with writing, so I tried to watch movies whenever I had time. I liked human dramas, so people often said my taste was like an old man’s—probably my brother’s influence. My favorites were The Shawshank Redemption and 3 Idiots. Yeah, not very high-school-student-like.
“Great! Actually, the movie theater is having a revival screening of a classic! It’s a film from before I was born, and I’ve always wanted to see it on the big screen. Would that be okay?”
The ball came back at a sharper angle than I expected. Could it be that Ichijou-san was also a huge movie buff? A pleasantmiscalculation.
“Wow, that’s sophisticated. What’s the movie?”
“This one!”
On the phone screen she showed me, the title of a famous American human drama classic was displayed. I couldn’t help but laugh at the un-high-school-like choice. But it was right up my alley, which made me incredibly happy.
“That’s awesome. It’s one of my favorite movies, too.”
“Oh, you too, Senpai? I’m so happy!”
We got excited, talking all about our favorite films.
※
And so, we ended up having dinner at Kitchen Aono. Minami-ojisan had already finished his talk with my mom and was having an early meal.
He was having the Salisbury steak set—a popular menu item since the restaurant’s founding, featuring a hamburger steak slowly simmered in a special demi-glace sauce and topped with a soft-boiled egg. The old man was eating his favorite dish with the delight of an elementary schooler.
“The first time I came here, this is what I ate,” he said nostalgically. “It’s still just as delicious. You’ve kept the same taste all this time…” Hearing his words, my brother looked somewhat pleased.
“Here you go,” my mom said, bringing over the fried oyster set meal. It was still early, so the restaurant wasn’t crowded, which was why we were able to have Ichijou-san in the main dining area instead of the break room.
“Wow, that looks delicious! It even comes with a fried shrimp. Are you sure?”
“It’s fine! This is on the house! Eat up!” my mom insisted, still doting on Ichijou-san. Therem was clearly more tartar sauce than usual, and she’d even gotten a complimentary fried shrimp. She was getting the royal treatment.
My mom and Minami-ojisan were acting perfectly normal, and I knew it was so I wouldn’t worry. I was truly grateful.
As I watched the school idol eat her fried oysters with relish from my special seat, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the truly blessed environment I was in.
── Mother’s Perspective──
After Ai-chan finished her meal, I borrowed a moment of her time and led her to the break room.
There was something I needed to say.
“Thank you, Ai-chan.”
She simply shook her head. “No, thank you for the delicious meal. Today’s fried oysters were amazing.” She really was a good girl. Almost too good for Eiji.
“I’m happy to hear you say that.”
Normally, I’d want to brew some tea and have some girl talk, but that could wait until after all these problems were solved.
“Ichijou Ai-san.”
I deliberately used her full name. She looked a little surprised, then her usual smile returned. She seemed to understand immediately what I wanted to say.
“Thank you so much,” I said, bowing my head deeply. “For believing in my son. For supporting Eiji. As his parent, I can’t thank you enough. I’m so, so glad you were on his side. Thank you.”
According to the teacher, the bullying had started on the first day of the second semester, but the rumors had been circulating even before that. That meant Ai-chan had been one of Eiji’s few allies when everyone around him was an enemy. A kind girl who helped my son even though she might have suffered for it. Her and Imai-kun. I owed them both a debt I could never truly repay. I had to thank her properly. I couldn’t begin to imagine how much she had saved Eiji just by being there for him.
“Please raise your head, Okaa-san. I haven’t done anything that grand. In fact, I was the one who was saved. I’m with Eiji-senpai of my own free will.”
She really was a kind child. I couldn’t stop myself from pulling her into a hug. She accepted it happily.
“If anything happens, I’ll definitely help you,” I told her. “You’re not alone anymore.”
“Okay,” she replied, her voice full of warmth.
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